Loose Women: a tale of three perfumistas and a bottle of Penhaligon's Tralala

Ever since it came out, I always knew I was going to need a bit more than a purse spray size of Penhaligon's whisky-laced 'comfy jogging bottoms' scent (copyright @Tara of A Bottled Rose), Tralala, which I reviewed around the time of its launch. Not least because I quickly drained said spray and had to make do with sniffing the vestiges around the nozzle. So when 'suddenly last summer' Tara herself kindly offered to buy a bottle of Penhaligon's Tralala and split it three ways with Asali of The Sounds of Scent and me, I jumped at the chance. Nick Gilbert was still working there at the time, and Tara liaised with him to make her purchase, before decanting 25ml bottles for the two of us.

But in July, before my share was despatched, I happened to be at a northern gig of...you've guessed it!...The Monochrome Set. Over a curry beforehand, one of the band piped up: "So what perfumes are you into at the moment?", whilst being fully aware that whatever answer I gave was most unlikely to ring any bells with them. So it proved, only my answer was unintentionally even more baffling than they bargained for.

"Ah, well I am looking forward to getting a split of Tralala."

The table promptly erupted into merriment, and I was asked to explain this impenetrable comment forthwith, which I did.

"That would make a good lyric for a song actually", observed the singer,"either that or whatever it was you said back there about Uttoxeter."

This was a reference to an earlier remark I had made about being quite happy to pay my way at the restaurant, having expressly been to a cash point on the way up...although this actually came out as:

"It's fine, I got wedged up in Uttoxeter." Which of course I also had to clarify.

Fast forward, and my split of Tralala duly came, courtesy of Tara. Now I could spritz with impunity and abandon. Fast forward some more and The Monochrome Set's 13th studio album, Cosmonaut, is poised for release on September 9th. And one of the tracks - called 'Stick Your Hand Up If You're Louche!' - whose arcane and oddball lyrics are a talking point amongst the critics who have reviewed the CD already, contains the line:

"Do you daub your body with a split of Tralala?"

To be fair that is about the only lyric that makes any sense to me - it's a very odd song indeed, which probably would not reward further attempts at deconstruction. But I feel chuffed to have contributed even in such a very minor way to its overall opacity and "stylishly warpedness". And I could not have done it without the good offices of Tara and Asali...'it takes two to tango' as the saying goes, and a minimum of two to three to split. ;) So thanks, both!

You can listen to an extract from the track here - it is the second song down and fourth line in!

And here is a review from Mojo, and one from Louder than War, both singling out 'Stick Your Hand Up If You're Louche!' for special mention. This one from Uncut even lobbies for 'Louche' to be released as a single, with its own video.

"If Tapete don't issue a 7" of Louche with a supporting video and live dates, there's no justice in this cruel world."

Obviously, I can recommend the album unreservedly. ;) Val CQ Sperrer is also a fan of the band, forsooth, should you require further endorsement.

(Oh, the Uttoxeter quote ended up on the cutting room floor due to insurmountable rhyming issues.)

Hiatus ahoy! Bonkers is off 'on tour' - to Germany - again

The bass player's view at Monarch, Berlin

I am afraid that between a rush work job (gratefully received!) and a few days visiting friends in The Cotswolds, I don't seem to have had time to write a blog post of any substance in the last week, and now I am about to go 'on tour' in the morning! Yes, it's that time of year again, and I am off on another harum-scarum itinerary around Germany with The Monochrome Set. There is a twist this time, however, in that I am meeting up with not one but two perfumistas on the way round - Anka in Berlin and Val the Cookie Queen of APJ in Augsburg. Both are attending one of the gigs, in a fabulous colliding of my special interest worlds. More on those meet ups in the inevitable travel posts that will follow the trip.

I must apologise in advance for the fact that I will have limited Internet access for the next ten days, which will doubtless also mean that I shan't manage to keep up as much as I'd like with reading and commenting on my favourite blogs.

Oh, and I am flying Germanwings to Dusseldorf, no less, but I have faith. Trusting the crew of a plane is the only reasonable response to such an aberrant tragedy. That said, I sense that I will only start to feel properly 'on holiday' when I have landed...

Here is the complete German tour itinerary, in case any readers who are also fans - or simply curious ;) - might be tempted to come along to a gig. The reviews of the latest album, Spaces Everywhere, have been little short of stellar, including 8/10 from that blast from the past, the NME. And here is a typical example (in German!) from the Berliner Zeitung.

Source: Tapete Records

PS Wishing everyone a Happy Easter, whatever you are up to!